Leaked Recording Industry Document Threatens Google Lawsuit
Leaked Recording Industry Document Threatens Google Lawsuit
Posted 02/16/2012 at 3:31pm
| by Ryan Whitwam
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The recording industry has long been critical of Google’s handling of its search results, and several months ago, the RIAA and IFPI accused Google of profiting from piracy, and throwing up roadblocks to prevent copyright holders from removing infringing material. According to a leaked document, this war of words might be headed to court soon. Industry groups have obtained confidential legal opinions on the viability of a lawsuit against Google.
For its part, Google has always said it is only indexing the Internet as it exists. To proactively weed out everything that could be copyright infringing would break search and be nearly impossible anyway. The document details the ways Google has been cooperating with the industry, including providing a batch search interface to assist in tracking down infringing sites, and compliance in shutting down a number of Blogger sites hosting copyrighted content. The legal document claims that is not enough.
A lawsuit would seek to force Google to stop providing links to pirate websites in search results. The RIAA and IFPI would essentially be arguing on antitrust grounds that Google’s market position should require it to censor its search results. If the case is filed as explained in the document, it would be truly unprecedented.
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Holockau5t
February 18, 2012 at 1:34am
it's just like the drug war, piracy makes money both ways, in this case they can sue whoever and blame them for helping pirates. In turn they get all their shit promoted. But without pirates none of their shit would really circulate, so they play around with different methods like take-downs here, lawsuits there, jail-time here (remember filling jails/prisons makes money too, lol) and the cycle continues. All in the name of profit. These stories are just hilarious...and tax dollars are what funds the whole process. I don't expect a revolution soon, hell we're too programmed to think outside of our own boxes..so I expect things to go third world in no time. Dictatorships and monarchs, lol. (not that their isn't a queen sittin on her ass profiting from this already...) sigh...gotta love America Inc.
bling581
February 17, 2012 at 10:33am
It's so bad how they go after the middle men instead of hunting down the violators. They target search engines, people that host sites with links to illegal sites, etc. They try to take the easy road and profit from the lawsuits while the real criminals are still out there. I think it's on purpose! If there were no pirates they would have nobody to sue.
kris79
February 17, 2012 at 6:32am
Here's a thought - Give them what they want. But distribute their demands evenly so that the Media Masters feel the pain also. I hope and pray Google would notify MAFRIAA that in response to their lawsuit, Google will remove all movies and studios from all searches. No movie names, no theater schedules, no info links of any kind about them or their movies on any part of the web that they connect to until they drop the lawsuit. Our Shekel Sheiks wouldn't like it much getting their way, would they?
kamikaji
February 17, 2012 at 8:38am
Yes, yes, and moar YES. You sir, are a genius.
Don't think Google would ever do that though, unfortunately :/
ERSZ
February 17, 2012 at 1:27pm
I hear you, new music is so retarded i've resorted to listening to old music or nothing at all
Engelsstaub
February 17, 2012 at 9:24pm
I'm not exactly young, but I appreciate some newer music. What I hate is the production. The compression and the "loudness war" that goes into most modern recordings drives me insane. Example: I love In Flames' newest album Sounds of a Playground Fading. The songs are amazing but the dynamic range is destroyed by compression and the "need" for every instrument/vocal to be as loud (in the mix) as everything else. (Seeing them live was, however, a great experience.)
I've heard Metallica's Death Magnetic was completely destroyed by shitty mastering. The name Rick Rubin used to mean something in the production world too...apparently no more after that reported atrocity. (I actually wouldn't know as I haven't liked or really listened to anything Metallica's done since that Load album.)
Some of the best recordings I've ever heard are classic '70s rock, jazz, and blues. It's not what I listen to frequently, but they did it right then IMO.
Gezzer
February 16, 2012 at 11:58pm
With all these groups wanting DNS and search censoring do they really understand what could happen?
For example, a movie company tells Google don't show links to any possible infringing material. How does Google do it? Well I would think the easiest way would be to have keywords trigger the censoring, like maybe the movie's title? I wonder how many site's showing legit trailers will be censored, or fan blogs, or fan forums or maybe even the movie company's site? As far as I know there just isn't the level of granularity needed to only get the copyright infringers. There's also going to be a ton of false positives. And Google or any ISP just doesn't have the resources to prevent or correct all the false positives.The genie is out of the bottle, and there's no turning back the clock to stuff her back in. All you can do is adapt or perish.
Nimrod
February 16, 2012 at 10:49pm
Its obvious that Google DOES do the kind of thing the movie industry is claiming.
If Google was actually just going off of a legit index they wouldnt have publicly filtered out certain news sites they dont like. Google is in it to make money and and further their own agenda just like the MPAA the ONLY difference is that they still have the trust of the sheeple.
tomrippity
February 17, 2012 at 7:05am
I wasn't aware they filtered out any news sites from their search feed? What news site would you be referring too?
Most people probably trust Google because Google hasn't done anything to harm them. Until Google burns them, they will continue to use products that Google releases and enjoy the experience provided.
I use almost all of their products. I don't really care if they collect information about me so that they can build a profile and show better ads. So far, anything that Google has every released has only made my life simpler, or at the very worst, I was indifferent towards the products.
livebriand
February 16, 2012 at 7:42pm
Things are fine as they are. Pirates WILL find ways to get around this. I guarantee it, happens every single damn time!
ashinms
February 16, 2012 at 7:05pm
...and on the day, the serpent of SOPA was slain, but the dragon of the recording industry still lurked in the distance...
CaptainFabulous
February 16, 2012 at 7:04pm
And this is why I refuse to give the MAFIAA any money and encourage others to do the same. Wither and die muthafuckers.
Engelsstaub
February 16, 2012 at 5:10pm
Maybe they should just shut the 'net down entirely. Then we can go back to encyclopedias to read about musicians twenty years after they cease to record anything.
I've got a box of shitty 8-Tracks in a closet somewhere. I think I'll start over from there.
acidic
February 16, 2012 at 6:24pm
our favorite hacktivist group has already planned on doing that. shutting the net down that is. instead of running their mouths on their technique, they should have just done it
http://pastebin.com/NKbnh8q8
Engelsstaub
February 16, 2012 at 8:47pm
I was being sarcastic. Wouldn't really want the net shut down for too long. I have way too much fun on it in my spare time.
yammerpickle2
February 16, 2012 at 4:53pm
Too bad that the media industry thinks everyone is guilty until they prove themselves innocent, except when the activity comes from within their own organizations. Basically, they want to set a legal precedence where Google, and thereafter any other search provider must have searches return links to their marketing sites only.
Hey.That_Dude
February 16, 2012 at 3:40pm
Wow... and who would decide on the validity of the Copyright infringement? Them... oh yeah.
Go F yourselves.
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